The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College (UTB/TSC) is a minority serving institution (92% Hispanic base) committed to develop biomedical research. Programs sponsored by the Minority Biomedical Research Services (MBRS) of the National Institute of Health play a critical role in complementing UTB/TSC resources to develop these activities. SCORE funds in particular are essential to develop a strong core of scientists with competitive research programs in biomedicine. As detailed in the recently funded proposal, UTB/TSC's commitment to biomedical research includes hiring new faculty with expertise in biomedical research as well as providing opportunities for existing faculty members to pursue biomedical research. This supplemental application includes a new research project and a new pilot project from Dr. Heather Klug and Dr. Gerson Peltz respectively. These proposed research projects, while contributing to the career development of the applicants, will also enhance and expand the areas of biomedical research on campus to include cancer studies. The funding of these projects will substantially increase the competitiveness and research capabilities of UTB/TSC, and continue to increase the number of funded biomedical research scientists at the University. Furthermore, the success of this application will contribute to the development of internal collaborations and the necessary scientific environment to develop successful R01 applications in the near future. [unreadable] [unreadable]